Heel-building machine



II. c. SIMMONS.

HEEL BUILDING IvIAcIIIIIIE.

`APPLICATION FILED IIIAR- I, 1916.

PatentedSept. 26, 1922 6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I www2.

R. c. SIMMoN's.

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILEQMAR. 1, 191e.

Patented Sept.' 26, 1922.

6 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

N VE/V 70H; /7

4 R. C. SIIVIIVIONS.

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLlcATIoN FILED MAR. i. 1916.

Patented sept. 26

6` SHEETS-SHEET 3,

fie."

R C. SIMMONS.

HEEL BULDLNGMACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. l, 1916. L l f-130,032. Patented Sept 26, 1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

R. C. SIMMONS.

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE. APPLLCATLN FILED MAR. 1, 1916. 1p430032, Patented Sept. 26, 1922-.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

R. C. SIMMONS.

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 191s.

s430,032. Patented. Sept. 26, 1922. I

G'SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Fig. 19. y,

llatented Sept, 26, i922 earner erica RALPH C. SIliIi/ONS, 0F BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR,'BY MESNE ASSIGN- LVENTS, 'E0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPRATEON, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A. COEPGRATGN OF NEW' JERSEY.

HEEL-BUILDING MACHINE.

Application ,lcd March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,405.

To @ZZ wiom t may concern:

Be it known that l, RALPH C. SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essexjand State of Massachusetts, have inventcrh certain improvements in l'leclduilding Machines, of Which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating` like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to heel building machines in general and, in particular', to a machine for automatically collecting individual lifts and assembling them in the forni of a heel blank.

Several inventors have heretofore proposed heel building machines .which .vere intended to be more or less automatic in operation but, up to the present time, none of these machines has ever come into practical commercial use, for a variety of reasons, among which may be mentioned slowness of operation, due to complicated construction and heavy reciprocating parts, diiiiculty in pasting and keeping control. of the various individual lifts, etc. l

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic heel building machine which can be constructed at a reasonable costand which will combine high speed of operation with certainty and accuracy in handling the lifts, to an extent which will ensure satisfaction and economyl in the use of the machine under ordinary commercial conditions,

lWith these ends in view, au inilliortant feature of the invention consists in` the provision of means for holding a seriesof stacks of heel lifts, in combination with means for removing lifts from the several stacks, supporting means for receiving the lifts thus removed, andassenibling means, which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, tales the form of an endless conveyor, for assen'ibling lifts from the supporting` means in proper register with each other to form heels. '.lhe. conveyor preferably located. at one side of the series of magazines, :nitomatic mechanism being provided for transferring the lifts from the tively related to the transferring mecha- .the transferring mechanism to deliver lift at the proper time."

nism, for applying paste to the lifts in transitu Abetween the magazines and the conveyor.

.A further feature of the invention consists in the provision of alift support, preferably comprising a series of shelves, ar-

4ranged to receive a series of lifts removed,

from the magazines and support them in position to becollected and arranged in proper register by the lift assembling device.k The construction and operation are preferably -such that the lift assembling` device is given a unidirectional, step by step, movement, a

complete series of lifts being'depositedupon the shelves between successive movements of the assemhlingdevice, whereby a pluralityT of heels are alwaysV being built simultaneously. The production of heels kby the machine is thus very large, a completed heel being produced at every step in thek movement of the vassembling device.

A further fea-ture of the invention relates to means for keeping thevarious lifts definitely under control at all times. this aspect the invention includes the provisionof improved means for preventing the lifts from being misplaced While they are being transferred .from the magazines to assembling position, and during the process' of assembling in the heel form. i

ln machines heretofore experimenter with, disarrangement and damage has freqnently resulted from the continuation of the operation of the machine after failure of one or more of the lifts to be advanced in their proper paths at the proper time. To the end that this diiiicult-y maybe climin nated, a further feature of the invention resides inthe provision of improved means for automatically stopping the operation of the machine in the` event of failure of any Still further features of the invention ref meohanism, the heel form in which the lifts are secured togetlier `and the heel is given its final shape, and other details lwhich cooperate to effect increased accuracy and speed in operation' and improvement in the quality f the product.

machine embodying the various features of the Ainvention is specifically described in ie i'olloiving specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings but it should be understood that this particular embodiment ot the invention has been selected merely lior the purpose of making a complete disclosure of the same, and that many changes in form and detail are contemplated and can be made wit-hout departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope ot which is to be considered as limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a heel building machine embodying the present invention, some of theparts olf the machine beingl broken away to ail'ord a clearer view oit' certain other hidden parts;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ot a portion ot one end of the machine, illustrating details of the starting and stopping mechanism, and mechanism for controlling the driving ot the nail;

Figs. 3, t, 5, 6 and 7 are views of details ot' the lift magazines and lilt transferring mechanism Figs. S and 9 are views illustrating details of the pasting mechanism;

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate details of the lift assembling mechanism;

Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate details ot the mechanism for forcing a heel blank into the form;

Fig. 16 is a View of a detail of the valve for controlling the supply of paste;

Figs. 17 and 1S illustrate details of the heel form;

Fig. 19 is a diagrammatic representation of the manner in which the location of thc nail in the heel is varied; and

Fig. 2O is a perspective view o1' modified form of plunger for pressing wedge li'lits into engagement with the paste roll.

The reference numeral 10 indicates a frame in which the various operating mechanisms ot' the machine are mounted. .tn auxiliary frame l2 is pivotally connected to the main trame l() by a rod 11.- extending along the back ot the machine. The construction and arrangement are such that the auxiliary frame 12 and the various devices mounted upon it may be swung vertically upwardly about the axis of the rod 141- to render the mechanism beneath easy of access ior inspection, cleaning and adjustment.

rlhe frame 12 consists essentiallyY of aplate or casting extending along the rear ot 'the machine and a series olil parallel partitions 16 extending lorwardly therefrom to atl'ord a plurality o't' gassageways. The liront ends of the partitions 16 are rigidly held in spaced relation by a bar 16.

ln the passageways between the partitions 16 are mounted a series of magazines 2() tor supporting stacks of heel lifts. 'Each magazine has secured to it a slide 22. (see Fig. 4.) which is vertically movable in a guide lslide along the orid and avoidinf.

2% upon the face of a partition 16. )L screw 26, threaded in an angular extension olz the slide 22 and bearinoj upon the upper edge of the partition, provides 'lior vertical adjustment ot the magazine to regulate the space between its lower end and the litt su pport beneath, to the thickness of a heel lil't.

Beneath each magazine is located a grid made up ot a plurality ot parallel bars 26 having' their upper edges sharpened or thin. The grid extends irom one end to the other ot the passageway between the partitions 16, and the sharpening ot the edges ot the bars 2S is :tor the double purpose oit resisting` angular moven'icnt oi the lilts as they to a large extent, the smearing oit the parts oit" tl chine with paste. The rear end ot each grid is provided with adjusting screws 3l), op erating in the i'irame 12, Ltorfthe purpose oit eii'ecting adjustment of the grid longdtudinally oli the passageway oli which it it'orms the bottom.

Extending longitudinally ot the machine, near the ,liront ends o1: the grids, is a paste trough 32 in which a paste roll 31-, mounted upon a shaft 36, rotates. rlhe sha/it 256 is driven by gearing 3S from a counter shalt stl), which is, in turn, driven by a train ot gears Lil-2, #1st, 16 lfrom a cam shatt 16 extending longitudinally ot the machine from one end to the other. rlhe paste roll 31 is provided with a series of annular grooves 50 (see Fig. 3) of suliicient depth to accommodate the grid bars 2S, so that the intermediate sections ot the roll pass between the said bars. bringing up the paste slightly above thc piane of their upper edges.

A liit support comprising a series o't stationary shelves 52, mounted upon the partitions 16 is located 4adjacent to the vliront ends of `the grids; and litt transferring mechanism. 'which will now be descrilwl. is provided tor the purpose ol trans'lfcrring` li'lfts from the magazines. along the grids.v over the paste roll` and lepositing them upon the shelves.

main drive shaft 53 is mounted iu bearings iil, 56 at one end olVl the machine and .is driven by a pulley 36 through a clutch 66. the mechanism for controlling which will be described later. A worm 62 upon the sha'tt 53 meshes with a worm wheel 61: upon the cam shait L18. Cams 66 upon the cani shalt 4S are arranged to engage cam rolls 65 mounted in cam levers i() mounted Alfor pivotal movement upon a stationary rod T2. The cam. levers 7() are connected by links E' lto a slide 76, guided in the trame lll to reeiprecate 'l'or\\.'a1'dly and rearwardly ot the n1achine. The slide 76 is connected by hands T6, passing over idler pulleys Si). to a weight 82, extending lengthwise oli the machine. The weight 82 acts to keep the rain rolls 66 at all times in engagement with the cams 66.

The means for engaging and transferring the lifts from the magazines to the shelves 52 comprises a series of slides or pushers 84C guided to reciprocate along the grids 28 ir. the passageways between the partitions 16. rlhe rear end of each pusher is provided with a hole to drop over a pin 86 in the slide 7 6, and rolls 88 upon the partitions 16 serve to hold the pushers down upon the grids. `When the pushers are at the rearward limit of their movement, however, they have passed out from beneath the rolls 88 so that any individual pusher may be lifted off its pin S6 and easily removed from the machine.

rlhe forward ends of the pushers Se are shaped, as shown at 90, to conform approximately to the shape of the edge of a heel lift, and the extent of movement of the slide 76 and the series of pushers 84;, actuated by it, is such that, when the slide is retracted, the forward ends of the pushers are a short distance back of the magazines, as is clearly apparent from F ig. 1 which shows a view of a magazine from the rear; and when the slide is advanced, the pusher is moved forward to a position where the lifts engaged by the forward ends of the pushers are deH posited upon the shelves 52.

By means of the adjusting` screws 26 the magazines 20 may be adjusted into suoli spaced relation to the grids 28 that the lower lift in each magazine, when engaged by the corresponding pusher, will be removed from the magazine and slid along the grid', while theremaining superposed lifts are retained in the magazine. An independently adjust able linger 92 (see Figs. 5 and 6) is provided to permit such adjustment to be made that curled or wedge shaped lifts will be delivered from the magazines one at a time, and certain of the magazines may be quite short, as shown in Fig. 1, since it is impractical to pile up a high stack. of wedge lifts in a straight pile. '.llhe pushers for the wedge lifts preferably have a wedge. shaped eross section, as shown `in liigs 5 and 7, thus insuring greater certainty in withdrawing the wedge lifts singly fron'rthe magazines.

After the bottom lift is ejected. from a magazine by a pusher 84, it is moved along the grid 26 over the rotating paste roll where it receives upon its under side a coating of paste or other suitable adhesive. In order to insure accurate feeding 'of the lifts and a uniform coatingof paste, means is provided for flattening the lifts and holding Athem :in engagement with the paste roll as they pass over it. A weight 94.-, shown inverted in Fig. S), :is provided with lateral projections 96 fitted to slide vertically in notches 98 in the partitions 16. Adjustable stop screws 100, bearing upon the bottoms of the notches 98, provide for adjusting the lower limit of movement of the weights. The lower face y102 of each weight is flat and is chamfered olf at the edge first eugaged by 'the advancing lift, to permit the lift to enter easily under the weight, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The stop screws 100 are so adjusted that 'the space between the weight 911 and the grid 2S is less than thethiclzness of a lift, so that when the advancing lift enters under the weight the latter is raised slightly and bears upon the upper face of the lift, flattening the lift and causing its entire lower face to engage the paste roll. Ther-ear edge of the weight is also shaped as shown at 106 to a form of approximately the curvature of the adi/'aneing edge of a. lift, in order to eliminate any tendency toward angular displacement of the lift when it enters under the weight.

ln F ig. 20 a special form of weight for use in connection with wedge lifts is shown. Here a plate 106, designed. to engage the upper face of the lift, is pivoted to a plunger 108 which is vertically slidable in a housing 110 formed in the heavy portion 112 of the weight. rllhe lower end of a screw 1111, threaded in the portion 112, bears upon the plate 106 to press the latter downwardly, while "the pivotal and sliding connection between the plate 106 and the portion 112 permits relative angular movement between the two, allowing the plate to conform to wedge lifts of various angles. 'l he lower face of the plate 106 is alsofcorrugated, as shown at 116, to still further mini-L `mize the probability of the lift being angularly displaced horizontally and to avoid the accumulation of paste upon said face.y

As the lifts are advanced past the paste roll, the lower faces of the pushers come into contact with the roll and receive more or less paste. ln order to prevent rthis paste from being carried back and being distributed through the machine, Scrapers 118 are provided back of the paste roll, see Fig. 3, to remove the paste from the lower faces of the pushers when they are retractei'l.

llllien the slide 76 `is moved forward the entire series of pushers 8i..- is simultai'ieously advaniiced, a series of .liilfts being removed from the respective magazines, transferred over the paste roll and deposited upon the lift support, which is herein shown. as comprising the series of shelves 52, one for each magazine. By reason of excess paste, there is sometimes a tendency forr alift to stiel: to the rend of a pusher and be partially retracted when the pusher retreats. To pre1 vent disarrangement of the lifts under these circumstances, l have providedmeans for engaging the' pasted lift and holding upon the lift support until the pusher is separated from it. This means will now be descril'ied.

A horizontallyreciprocable cam rod 120 is guided for sliding movement, at one end in the frame l0 at 122, and. at the other end upon a horizontal guide plate 124. A reciprocating movement is imparted to the cam rod by a bell crank lever 126, connected by an adjustable link 12S to a cam lever 1230, which is pivotally mounted upon the frame 10 at 132. The cam lever 130 is actuated by a cam 134 upon the inner face of the gear 46 and, as the cam lever oscillates, a reciprocating movement is imparted to the cam rod 120. are mounted upon the rod 120, being secured in any desired position of adjustment, longitudinally, by clamping screws 36. Each cam 136 engages a vertical slide 140, guided at its lower end in a keeper 142, and connected at its upper end to a lever 144. The levers 144 are all fulcrumed upon the spacing bar 1S. Each slide 140 has secured to it a lateral linger 146, extending` into one of the passageways between the partitions 16 and above one of the shelves 52. The reciprocations of the cam rod 120 are so timed, relatively to the movement of the pushers S4, that the slides 140 are elevated by the cams 186 at the time when vthe pushers deliver a series of lifts upon the shelves 52. Before the pushers are retracted, however, the cams 136 are moved toward the right, as seen in Fig. 1, allowingl the slides 140 to cescend until the lingers 146 engage the lifts upon the shelves 52, holding them in position until the pushers are separated from them. Any tendency of the lifts to adhere to the pushers and become disarranged is thus overcome.

I have provided improved mechanism for removing the lifts from the shelves 52 and assembling them into the form of a heel blank. ein endless conveyor, comprising a pair of chains 162 running over sprocket wheels 164, is guided for movement along an inclined assembling table 166, located below the shelves 52. rlhe chains travel in recesses 168 in the table and carry, at intervals spaced apart equal to the spacing of the heel lift magazines, cross bars 170. A, pair of lift assembling lingers 172 pivotally mounted upon each cross bar 170, being normally held in upright position by a spring 174 which will, however, permit the fingers to yield rearwardly in case they encounter undue resistance. rllhe lower ends of the lingers extend below the cross bar into grooves 176 in the assembling table to prevent any possibility of a lift getting wedged beneath the fingers.V

rllhe partitions 16 and the shelves 52 are slotted, at 17S` to permit the fingers 172 to pass through them freely. An inclined extension 180 projects rearwardly from each shelf 52 to a. point above and adjacent to the forward end of the preceding shelf in such a relation to the latter that, as a lift is pushed oll of u shelf by the lingers 172,

A series of cams 136I it passes beneath the extension 180 and is forced to drop down upon the assembling table or upon the pile of lifts being advanced along the assembling table by the lingers, thus preventing the lifts vfrom being accidentally turned up edgewise and interfering withthe operation of the machine. The chains 162 are advanced by a step by step movement of the sprockets 164, which are secured upon a shaft 182 having also secured to it a ratchet wheel 184. The reciprocating cam rod 120 has a rack 186 formed near one end and meshing with a pinion 16S which is loosely mounted upon the shaft 162. A pawl 190, carried by the pinion 18S, engages the ratchet whcel 184 and it will be clear that as the rod 120 is recijirocated an lintermittent advancing movement in one direction will be imparted to the chains 162 forn'iing a part of the lift assembling conveyor. The elements of this mechanism are so proportioned that, at each reciprocation of the rod 120, the assembling lingers 172 are moved through. a distance equal to the spacing bek tween successive lift magazines.

By reference to Fig. l0 it will be observed that, as the conveyor advances toward the right, each pair of asseml'iling lingers 172 accumulates a pile of heel lifts of graduated sizes arranged substantially in the form of a heel blank. its each heel blank is advanced along the assembling table 166 it arrives between a pair of adjustable resilient alining` devices 192, see Fig. 3, which tend to correct any fault lin the register of the lifts with each other and to cause the heel to enter the heel form properly. i

Referring to Fig. 17, which shows the heel form inverted in order to give a clearer view of its component parts, it will be seen that the form consists mainly of a series of lingers or side jaws 193 and a base plate 194. Each jaw has a radial shank 1.96, slidably. mounted in the base and freely removable froin its mounting inwardly of the form. The jaw is adj ustably held from movement outwardlj1 of the form b v a stop screw 105, threaded into the end of the shank 196 and bearing` against a plug 200 inserted in the base. A hole 202, through the plug, provides for the insertion of a screw driver to change the adjustment of the jaw. An elongated aperture 204 is formed in the base plate 194 to permit a nail to be driven into the heel to secure the lifts together. lleneath the heel form is located a plunger 206 which is guided to move vvertically in the frame 10. n block 206. carried by the plunger and having grooves 210 in alinemeut with the grooves 176, is arranged to move `lurnvardly betwl-ien the chains 1.62 at the time `when thc conveyor is stationary after having delivered an assembled pile of heel lifts to the block. As the plunger 206 and the block carried by it rise, the pile oi' heel lifts is elevated and forced into the heel form. l have found that il the lifts are forced into the lorni by a sudden blow, any inaccuracy in the alinement ot the liilts will be corrected by the lifts being relatively shifted as they engage the jaws 193 and, lor the purpose of producing such a blow, the following mechanism is provided. A cam 212, mounted upon the cam shaft 48, engages a cam roll 21.4 in a cam lever 216 ilulcrumed upon the bar 72. @ne end ot the cam lever 216 is connected, by a link 21S, to the plunger' 206 and the other end carries a weight 220, the action of which is supplemented by a spring` The cam 212 has an abrupt drop at 224 which is so located that at the proper time the cam lever 216 is released, allowing the weight 220 and the spring 222 to elevate the plunger 206 and the block 208 abruptly in order to drive the pile of heel lifts forcibly into the form. An ejector 226, mounted upon the plunger 206, operates, upon the return stroke of the plunger, to loosen the heel 'from the form, causing'it to fall again into the path oit the assembling fingers, which now remove the heel an cause it to drop into a discharge chute 22S at the end oic the machine. f

The numeral 230 indicates any suitable or desired form of nail driving` mechanism, the discharge nozzle ot which is located adjacent to the aperture 204. The nailing mechanism is mounted upon a column 232 secured in a clamp 240 forming a p art of the frame 10. ln the case of heels of widely diii'erent sizes it is desirable to change the location of the point at which the nail is to be driven, relatively 'to the heel "form, and this may be done by loosening the clamp 240 and swinging the nail driver transversely to various positions, as indicated by the dotted lines in the diagramn'iatic representation oit lfig. 19, where two heels oit widely different sizes and two different positions oi the nail are indicated. The starting oii the naiil driving mechanism to drive a nail is controlled by a lever 242., see Fig. 2, which is connected by a rod 244 to a bell crank lever 246 pivoted :1t 246 to the 'frame 10. rllhe opposit@ end ot the bell crank lever'is arranged to be engaged by a pin 250, inserted in the lace ol" the worm `wheel 64, atv such a point that the nailing mechanism will operate to drive a nail into.y andV through the heel, while the latter is held in. the heelliorm by the block 208. rEhe upper 'lace ol the block 206 is provided with a metal plate 252 to clinch the point of the nail, shown inl Fig. 1S.

rlhe starting and stopping of the machine is controlled by mechanism now to be described. it tr yadle 25.4 is pivoted to the base ot the machine at 256 and held upwardly by a spl'ing28. treadle rod 15S is piroted to the treadle and drawn rearwardly by a spring 260. The upper end of the treadle rod is guided .in a keeper 262 which permits it to oscillate forwardly and rearwardly. llVhen the treadle rod is drawn rearwardly by thespring 260 a notch 264 engages the point of a dog 266, which is connected by a rod 268 to a sliding wedge 270 having at its rear end a projection 272. A spring 274 tends to draw the wedge 270 rearwardly. A clutch lever 276, which operates the clutch 60, lies in the path of the projection 272 so that, when the treadle 254 is depressed and the projection 272 moved forwardly, the clutch lever 276 is moved forwardly and the clutch thrown into engagement. T his serves to connect the pulley 5S with the driving shaft 53, to start the machine. The treadle may be locked under a catch 278 and the machine will continue to run. Tlhen the treadle is released, the spring 274 acts to withdraw the wedge 270, ermitting the spring 280 to disengage the clutch and at the same time apply the brake 282 to the driving shaft to stop the machine. For the purpose of positively disengaging the clutch in the event of failure of the spring 280 to operate the clutch lever, a pin 284 projecting from the end or' the slide 76 is provided.l Then the wedge 270 is drawn forwardly', the clutch lever is held out ot engagement with the pin 284, but when the wedge moves rearwardly the lever is permitted to move into the path of the pin and, upon the next` rearward movement of the slide, the clutch lever will be positively moved rearwardly to disengage the clutch and stop the ma* chine.

ln order to stop the machine promptly in the event oi? failure oli the litt transt'erringA mechanism to deposit any li'lit upon the litt support at the 'front of the machine at the proper time, the following mechanism is provided. Rocker arms 148 are pivoted up`- on the bar 16 and carry at their rearends a rod 150, which extends longitudinally oi the machine. Adjustable screws 152, threaded through the rod 150, bear upon the rear ends ofthe levers 144. One end of the rod 150 is connected by a link 154 to a latch 166 which is, :in turn, pirotally eonnectedto the upper end ot the treadle rod 16S. A lever 286 is arranged to be oscillated by roll on the back oi the worin Wheel 64 at each revolution. The nose 290 of the lever 266 normally moves past, and does not engage, the end oi"- the latch 156 as long as the rod 150 is lowered. The timing of the mechanism is such that the nose 290 approaches the latch when a series lof'liits should rest upon the shelves 52. Ifa complete series of lifts is in proper position upon the shelves, each linger 146 will engage a f lift and will be supported thereby so that it a litt should be absent from any ot the shelves the corresponding linger 116 will., when the cam 136 is withdrawn from beneath the slide 140, descend until it rests upon the sheltl 52. This will cause the inner end or' the corresponding lever l/l/l to be elevated until it engages the screw 152 and lifts the rod 150. The elevation ot the rod will raise the tree end ot the latch 156 until it is in the path otl movement ot the nose 290. New, as the lever 286 is oscillated, .its nose 290 kwill engage the latch 156, moving the upper end of the treadle rod 158 torwardly and disengaging the notch 261i from the dog-266. The spring` 274 will now draw the wedge slide 2'( 0 rearwardly and the niachine will be automatically stopped, as heretofore described.

For the purpose ot maintainingv a desired height ot paste in the tank 32 an auxiliary tank 292 is provided. The auxiliary tank niay be supplied with paste, as desired, andv the paste may then he released and allolved to llow into the main tank in any desired quantity by operating a valve 29a provided with a handle 296, see Figs. 1 and 16.

The operation of the machine is as tollows: The magazines 20, or as many ot them as are required to contain the nnmbe ot lifts in the heel to be built, are lilled with stacks of heel lift-s and the tank 32 is tilled with adhesive. The machine is then artcd by depressing the treadle. As the pushers 84; advance, each of them removes 'the bottoni li'lt from its corresponding` magazine and advances italong a `grid 2S over the. paste roll 34, where the litt receives a coating ot paste upon its lower `tace. rlhe weight 0l, under which the lit't passes, keeps it tlat and presses it into close contact with the pasto roll. As the forward movement oi the pnshers continues, a complete series ol.: lilits tor building a single heel is i'lelivered to and deposited, upon the liitt supi'iort consisting ol' the series ot shelves 52. At this time the cam rod 120 has moved toward the lett, see Fig. 1, and the lingers lil-6 are elevated to permit the litts to be depof ed upon the shelves. The endless chaiu lilt conveyor is also at this time stationary^ lmmediately after the lifts are deposited intron the shelves 52 the cam rod 120 is moved toard the right, allowing the lingers M6 to descend until they engage. and hold the lifts upon the shelves. lllhile the li't'ts are thus held, the pushers are separated from the lifts and retracted. As the cam rod 120 begins its return stroke to the left, the cams 136 raise the fingers 146, releasing their holding pressure upon the series of lifts. This stroke of the cam rod also acts through the rack 186, pinion 188, pawl 190 and ratchet 184 to advance the litt assemblingv lingers 122 one step, viz, the distance between two successive shelves or magzmincs. -"is the assembling lingers advance, the lifts upon the respective shelves are'pushed oil", the lirst litt being guided to drop upon the table 166, as shown in Fig. 10, and the successive lifts each falling upon the pile which has, at the previous step, been advanced from the preceding station. ln this manner a coniplete series' of lifts is removed 'trom the shelves 52 at each step in the movement ot the assembling mechanism and a new series of lifts is deposited upon the shelves after each such movement ready to be removed at the next. A number ot heels, equal to the number ot lifts in a single heel, are thus being huilt simultaneously, and a complete heel is delivered at each step in the movement olf the assembling nierhanisnn although the said mechanism oni)v nio 'es a distance equal to the spacing between succes-ive litt magazines. ritter the heel pile has received its top litt trom the last magazine in the series it is advanced by the assembling mechanism between the resilient guide lingers 192, where any lack in trani-.verse register ot the lifts is approximately corrected, and the heel pile is guided so as properly to enter the space beneath the heel form.

lllhen the conveyor has stopped with a heel pile resting upon the block 20S, the plunger 206, carrying the block, is elevated suddenly, driving the heel into the Form with a sharp blow, after which the nailing-1v device acts immediately to drive the heel building nail through the aperture 20s into the heel. The plunger 206 now descends and, simultaneously, the ejector 226 drives the finished heel. blank out oit the torni. causing it to drop again upon the block 20S in the path of the assembling The fingers, in the next step oit their movement, move the heel olf the block and dump it into the delivery chute troin .which it is received .in a. boi; or oil er suitable receptacle.

.ln the event ot failure ot any li'lit to bc delivered to the shelves 52 at the proper time, the automatic stop niechanisn'i operates as previously described to stop the machine promptly until the error has been corrected and the machine again sta rtcd by the operator depressingthe treadle. Y

By reason oli the iinidirectional inoven'ieiit oit' the litt assembling mechanism and the fact that it is moved only a short distance for each assembling operation. the machine may be run at a high speed. as compared with machines havingi a reciprocating lil't assembling device which must be moved past the entire series oit magazines to assemble each heel, and then retracted to initial position before beginning` the assembly ot the neXt heel. ln addition to the increased speed ol operation, the 'tact that a plurality of heels are l'ieing built simultaneously results in a very large production of heels by the machine without undue strain or wear upon the mechanism.

The magazines be removed for filling and new ones substituted by simply lifting swung into upright position, and the entire machine washed and cleaned with the utmost ease and facility.

Having described my invention, what l claim asiiew and desire to secure by Letters lfateut of the United States is l. lu a heel building inachiiie, the conibiiiation of a series of lift magazines equal in. number to the number of lifts in a coinplete heel blanlgineans for simultaneously removing a lift from each of said magazines 4and depositing all of said lifts in an alined row, and separate means for moving the eiitire row of said deposited lifts in the direction of their alinement through a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent magazines after each operation of the lift removing and depositing means.

2. .ln a heel building machine, the c-oinbinaticn of aseiies of lift magazines, lift assembling mechanism having a step-by-steiji linear movement, and means for removing simultaneouslyrv from said magazines a coinplete series of lifts, sufiicicnt in number to build a cciiiplete heel blank, and deijiositing them in alineinent iii the line of action of the assembling mechanism after each step of the movement of the latter.

il. ln a heel building` ma hine, the coinbiiiation of a series of heel lift magazines, means for moving heel lifts from the several magazines into positions in vwhich they are in aliiieii'iciit, means for holding the heel lifts in their alined positions, and assembling means that is movalile in the direction of the line of heel lifts for assembling lifts in proper register with cach other to form heels.

AV1-. .ln a heel building machine, the coinbinatioii of a series of lift magazines, separate lift siippeii'zii'ig iiieans, means fer repeatedly delivering from the magazines to the siipiliortiug means a complete series of lifts, sufficient iii number to build a complete heel bla-iik, and steiri-by-stcp assembling nieaiis operating iii a path adjacent to said lift supporting means to taire, at each step of its movement, one of said complete series of lifts from the supporting` means and deposit the lifts of the series upon patially formed piles of lifts accumulated during previous steps of its movement.

ln a heel building machine, the combiiiation of means for holding a series of stacks of heel lifts, means for removing lifts from ithe several stacks, supporting means for receiving` the lifts thus removed, and assembling means for assembling lifts from the supporting means in proper register with each other to form heels.

6. In a heel building machine, the coinbination of means for holding a series of stacks of heel lifts, means for simultaneously moving the bottom lifts from the several stacks into positions from which they are afterwards to be assembled, and assembling means for simultaneously moving the posi# tioiied lifts and assembling them in proper register with other lifts to form heels.

7. ln a heel building machine, the coinbiuation of means for supporting a series of stacks of heel lift, means for removing ythe bottom lifts from the several stacks, supporting means for receiving the lifts thus removed and means for assembling 'the lifts in proper register with other lifts to forni heels.

8. In a heel building machine, the conibination of means for supporting a series of stacks of heel lifts, means for engaging and removing the bottom lifts from the several stacks simultaneously and moving thenr whileiinder control of said means into assembling positions, and means for assembling the lifts in proper register lwith other lifts te form heels. f

9. In a heel building machine, the conibination of a series of lift magazines, a liftsiipport comprising a series of shelves arranged in a row, means for removing a series of lifts from the several magazines and depositing them upon the shelves, and means for removing lifts from the shelves and assembling them in proper register with each other to form heels.v

10. In a heel building machine, the conibination of a series of magazines for holding stacks of heel lifts, stationary means for supporting series of heel lifts when separated from the stacks, assembling means, in cooperative relation to the lift'supporting means, for collecting the sei'ies of lifts from the supporting means and superposing them in. heel forni, and mechanism for el'l'ectii'ig a step-by-step operative movement of the asseinbling means in one direction only.

ll. A heel machine having, in eoiiibiiiation, aeonveyor having a series of movable members constructed and arranged to engage and advance a corresponding series of `scpa` bination means Yto; supporting a series ot' stacks et heel lits, means tor removing a series ol' lits i'roiu the several stacks, a heel terni, :and means for collecting); the series et litts in piles and plat-,ingthem in the heel ferm.

13. 1n a heel building; machine, the combination of a series et heel litt magazines, a series ol lii't supporting` shelves adjacent to the magazines, means tor removing' a series oiI lit'ts Ytrom the magazines and depositing them upon the shelves, movable mechanism tor cellecizing' liits Yfrom the shelves, and means iter advancing the collecting mechanism a distance equal` to the spacing; oit the shelves aiter each eueratieii ot the removingand depositing` mecmiuism.

14. heel machine having', in combination, an endless conveyor tor advancingg a series oi.Y heel piles disposed in tto-operative relation therewith, means ior moving the endless conveyor progressively step-by-step in one direction, and guiding or iliositioning means tor engagingy each pile laterally thereof as it is moved past tor aliningi said piles longitudinally relatively to the conveyor.

15. A heel machine having, in combination, a movable. endless conveyor having' a plurality et sections for severally receiving;v and advancing` a series of separate heel piles, each of said sections having a heel breast engaging member, and single means, engaging each pile laterally thereof as it is moved past said means, for alining' the piles longitudinally and positioning` them against the breast engaging members.

16. In a heel building,` machine, the combination of a row ot magazines adapted to contain heel litts, a plurality oit supports 'tor heel lii'ts, means for simultaneously moving a plurality oif heel lifts from the niagazines and depositing' them in line on the supports, an assembling means :tor advancingY the heel li'tts, and `guides Yter directing the lifts as they are moved from the supports by the assembling;1 means.

17. 1n a heel building machine, the combination oi" means tor supi'iortine` a stach ot heelV li'lfts, a litt support, means 'lor moving a litt 'from the stack and depositing it upon the support, means movable into engagement with the lilt Vtor holding' 'it upon the support and assembling means tor movinnl the litt vfrom the support into proper register with other litts to ii'orm a heel.

1S. 1n a heel building machine, the combination ot means for supporting' a series ot stacks ot heel lit-ts, a lift support, means for removing a series ot lifts trom the seveal stacks and depositing them upon the support, means tor engaging' the several lf ts and holding` them upon the support, and means 'for removing lifts from the support and assembling them to term heels.

maeazine means for removine a litt :trom

the magazine and presenting it successively to the pasting mechanism and the lift support, and means movable into engagement ivith the pasted litt for holding` it upon the litt support.

Q1. ln a heel building;` machine, the combination oit a heel litt magazine, a paste roll ai'ijacent to the magazine, a litt support adjacent to the paste roll, a pusher arranged to push a litt from the magazine past the paste roll to the litt support, and means movable into engagement with the pasted lilt lor holding it upon the support While the pusher is separated from it.

1n a heel building machine, the combination oit a heel litt magazine, a pasting device adjacent to the magazine, a pusher arranged to push a liltt trom the magazine past the pasting device to a predetermined position, and means movable into engagement with the pasted lift for preventing adhesion oit the pasted lift to the pusher when the latter is retracted.

Q3. ln a heel building' machine, the combination ot means for supporting` a series i stacks ot heel lifts in superposed, horizontal arrangement, a litt assemblingmechanism mounted tor unidirectional movement in a path adjacent to the stacks, the said mechanism being` provided with a spaced series olf' assembling devices, and means lor moving the assembling mechanism repeatedly through a distance equal to the spacing et the said devices.

211. 1n a heel building` machine, the combination of means ior supporting a series et stacks ot heel lifts in superposed, horizontal arrangement, a litt assemblingmechanism mounted. iter unidirectional movement in a path adjacent to the stacks, the said mechanism beiner provided with a plurality ot spaced assembling` devices, and means for advancine the assemblingmechanism intermittently through distances equal to the spacing` of the stacks.

25. 1n a heel building machine, the combination o ii' means for supporting` a series of stacks ot heel lifts in superposed horizontal arrangement, a lii't assembling meehanism mounted 'for unidirectional movement in a path adjacent to the stacks, the said mechanism being provided with a series olV assembling devices `spaced apart equally with the spacing of the stacks, and means for advancing the assemblingmechanism step by step through distances equal to the spacing of the stacks.

26. ln a heel assemblingmachine, the coinbination of means for supporting ka series of stacks of heel lifts, a lift assembling mechanism Imounted for unidirectional movement in a path adjacent t0 the-stacks, the said mechanism being provided with a series of assembling 'devices spacedapart equally with the spacing of the stacks, means 'for advancinov the assembling mechanismv step by step hroughdistances equalto the spacing of the stacks, and means for engaging and removing a series of lifts from the stacks and presenting them to the assembling mechanism between eachy two steps of movement of the latter, whereby ka plurality of 'heels are simultaneously vin process of being built. f

V27. In a heel building machine, the combination of means for supporting a series of stacks of heel lifts, means for simultaneously removin from 'the stacks a number of heel lifts su cient to form a completeheel and placing them in assembling positions, lift assembling mechanism comprising a series of lift engaging and advancing devices spacedapart equally with the spacing of the stacks, and means for advancing all the lift engaging devices past the entire series-of stacks.

28. In a heel building machine, ythe coni-y bination of liift feeding mechanism, lift pasting mechanism located in the path of movement of the feeding mechanism, and a weight having a substantially flat lift engaging face, located in the path of movement of the feeding mechanism, adjacent to the pasting mechanism, vfor pressing a li'itt into engagementy with the past-ing mechanism, v

29. In a heel'buildiiig machine, 'the coinbination of lift 'feeding mechanism, lift pasting mechanism. cooperatively related to the feeding mechanism,l and, a weightfhaving av substantially r4flat litt 'engaging tace, mountedy for liiec'vertical movement adjacent to the pasting mechanism in the path of movement of the feeding mechanism for pressing a lift into engagement with the pasting mechanism.

30. In. Va heel building machine,-the combination of lift feeding mechanism, liit pasting mechanism located in the path of movement of the 'feeding mechanism and adapted to deliver paste to Lheel lifts ,as they are fed by the feeding mechanism,and

' a grid located. in the path: 0i movement of the 'feeding mechanism beyond the pasting mechanism :for receiving pasted lifts.

3l. In a heel. building machine, the coinbiiiation of a lift supporting grid comprising a plurality 0f space sections, means'mov'- movable alonothe grid for' feeding lifts andl lift pasting mechanism along the grid, comprising a paste roll having paste applyingportions passing between the sections Gif the grid to apply paste t0 a lift asV itis fed along the grid. y Y

33. In a heel buildingmachine, they Coinbination of a lift feeding pusher,y a paste roll located in the path of thepusher, means 'for 4advancing the pusher to feed `a ,lift

across the paste roll, andv a scraper i''orr'e-jy moving adherent paste" from* lthe pusher upon its returnmovement. v

34e. In a heel building machine, lift assembling mechanism comprising traveling chains, lift assembling devices uponjthe chains, said devices being mounted to'yield upon encountering" excessive resistance' to their movement, and means :tor supporting I lifts* in' the path of mo'vementof said de# vices.

35. In a heel buildingmachine, the combination'of means for supportinga series oiistacksoiI heelflifts, a series of llift supports, means for removing yseries of lifts irom'the stacks and deliveringthem t0 the. supports, a litt assembling `vdevice, and" means for causing the assembling device to engage successively lifts upon the supports and "move them, onefunder another, intov proper register withrfeachi other to *form heels. i

36'.k ln a heel buildingmachine, the combination of means for supporting a series of n stacks oilifhee'l lifts, a series of'slotted' lift" supports, means for removing series of lifts ports,;an`i l means for advancing said devices to` engageandxi'emove successive series of lifts from the supports and assemble them in properregister with each other to form a series of'heels;

37; In a heel buildiijig machine, the combination' of meansior collectino a )ile oi" lifts to lorm a heel, alieeli form, and means 'for removing the heel ii'oni the collecting device and placing it in the rheel form. y

38. In a heel building machine, the combination of `heel lift assembling mechanism comprising a plurality of spaced members, a heel iioimadjacent to the path of moveger?adjacent'to the heel forni, and means for moving the plunger between the spaced "-ment' of the assembling mechanism, ka plun members of the lift assembling mechanism to remove a heel from said mechanism and insert it in the form. f

39. In a heel building machine, the .combination of heel lift assembling mechanism comprising chains and lift assembling devices carried by the chains, a heel form adjacent to the path of movement of said devices, a plunger movable between the chains to remove a heel therefrom and insert it in the form, and means for dislodging the heel fromtlie form and replacing it in the path of the assembling devices.

40. In a heelbuilding machine, the combination of a heel forni having a base prof vided with an aperture of substantial size, and `nail driving mechanism having an adjustable nozzle co-operatively related to said aperture to ,permit variation of the point at which a nail is driventhrough the aperture vinto a heelin the form. f

4l. In a heel building` machine, the com` bination of a heel form having a base provided with an aperture of Substantial size, nail driving mechanism having a nozzle adjacent to said aperture and adjustable trans" versely relatively thereto, and a plunger, provided with a nail clinching surface, for forcing a heel into the form and holding it while a nail is driven.

42. In a heel building machine, the combination of a lift support, mechanism forv depositing a row of lifts upon the support, means for engaging and operating upon the lifts, and mechanism for stopping the operation of said means upon failure of the depositing mechanism to deliver a complete row of lifts. ,j

43.' In a heel building machine, the combination of a lift support, mechanism for depositing a row of lifts upon the support, lift assembling means for vcollecting the lifts from the support, and means for stopping the operation ofr the machine upon failure of the depositing mechanism to deliver a complete row of lifts.

44. In a heel building` machine, the combination of a lift support, mechanism for depositing a series of lifts upon the support, a series of feelers for engaging the individual lifts at predetermined times, and means controlled by the individual feelers for stopping the machine upon failure of any feeler to find a lift in position to be engaged by it at said predetermined times.

45. In a heel building` machine, a heel form comprising a plurality of heel engaging jaws freely movable radially inwardly of the form and held positively against outward movement from their normal operative positions.

46. In a heel'building machine, a heel form comprising a base, anda plurality of heel engaging jaws mounted in the base and freely removable therefrom inwardly of the-` form.

47. In a heel building machine, an adjustable heel form comprising a base, a plurality of heel engaging' jaws mounted in the base and freely removable therefrom inwardly of the form, and adjustable means for holding the jaws positively against outward movement from their normal opera-tive positions. c i

4S. In a heel building machine, an adjustable form comprising a base, a plurality of heel engaging jaws having radial shanlrs slidably mounted in the base, said shanks being freely removable from their mounting inwardly of the form, adjusting screws in the outer ends of the shanks, and station ary stops arranged for engagement by the screws to prevent outward movement of the jaws from their noimaly operative positions.

49. In a heel building machine, the combination of a main frame, driving mechanism mounted in the said frame, an auxiliary frame, and heel lift storing and control-` ling devices mounted in the auxiliary frame, the frames being connected in such a way as to permit the auxiliary frame to be removed from operative relation to the main frameto afford access to the mechanism intlieflatter.

50. In a heel building machine, the -combination of main and auxiliary frames carrying heel lift cont-rolling kand assembling devices in co-operative relation, the frames being hinged together to permit the auxiliary frame to be swung upwardly to afford access to the mechanism in the main frame.

5l. In a heel building machine, the combination of a main frame, heel lift pasting and assembling mechanism mounted in said frame, an auxiliary frame superposed upon the main frame, heel lift storing and controlling devices mounted in the auxiliary frame :in Co-Operative relation to the lift pasting and assembling mechanism, and

hinged connections between the frames, permitting the auxiliary vframe to be swung upwardly to afford access to the lift pasting and assembling mechanism.

52. In a. heel machine, the combination of an endless carrier having a series of spaced fingers for engaging and advancing a series of separate heel piles and adding lifts to theA piles as they are advanced, and nailing mechanism located in co-operative relation tothe path of movement of the piles and operative intermittently to nail together the lifts of successive piles.

53. In a heel machine, the combination of an intermittently movable endless carrier `having a series of spaced fingers for engag! ing and advancing a series of separate heel piles and adding lifts to the piles as they'are advanced, and nailing mechanism located in co-operative relation to the path of movemeans for removing a pile of heel lifts from said device, presenting it for the action of l0 said mechanism, and returning it to said device. n

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

RALPH C. SIMMONS. 

